Also known as
- Atlantic Mackerel Shark US
- Mackerel Shark US
- Blue Dog US
- Beaumaris Shark US
- Bottle-nosed Shark US
- Porbeagle US
Identification
A robust, heavy-bodied warm-blooded shark built for sustained cold-water hunting. North Atlantic stocks grow larger than Southern Hemisphere. Males and females reach similar sizes.
- Large first dorsal fin with a distinctive white free rear tip — diagnostic mark unique to this species
- Dark grey to blackish back grading to a white belly with dusky blotches
- Two pairs of caudal keels — primary on the peduncle and short secondary at the tail base
- Three-cusped teeth with smooth edges and small lateral cusps at the base
- Moderately long conical snout
Where it holds
- Offshore
- Oceanic
Behaviour
A cold-water apex shark concentrating over food-rich continental shelf banks; ranges surface to 200m on shelf and to 1,360m offshore. Highly migratory, with tracked individuals covering 1,600+ km between feeding and mating grounds. Warm-blooded physiology drives sustained activity in cold seas. Opportunistic feeder on schooling baitfish, cephalopods, and smaller sharks. Generally solitary but aggregates where bait concentrates. Known for spectacular leaps when chasing prey or hooked.
Diet: Mackerel, Herring, Sardines, Small Cod, Squid
How it's caught
Line Fishing
Chunking
The defining UK/Irish/Atlantic Canada approach — establish a long oily rubby-dubby chum slick from a drifting boat using mashed mackerel, herring, and sardines mixed with bran and fish oil deployed in mesh bags. Cold-water sharks home from miles. Position whole hook baits in the slick at staggered depths. 1m of 175-200lb single-strand wire trace and 10/0-12/0 non-offset circle hooks mandatory.
Float Fishing
The premier hooked-bait presentation in the slick — suspend a whole fresh mackerel or mackerel flapper under a balloon or polyball float at 8-30m, drifted 20m+ from the boat. Cornish/Welsh/Irish southwest culture. 1m of 175-200lb single-strand wire trace; 10/0-12/0 circle hooks. Reel must hold 400+ yards of 50lb mono.
Live Lining
Free-drift unweighted whole mackerel or mackerel flappers naturally through the chum slick alongside float-fished baits. The unrestricted drift consistently triggers strikes from sharks that ignore tethered presentations. Same heavy mono and 1m of 175-200lb single-strand wire trace.
Bottom Fishing
Productive over deep banks, drop-offs, and continental shelf edges when sharks hold deeper through midday. Drop weighted whole-fish baits to 50-150m on heavy stand-up tackle. 1m of 175-200lb single-strand wire trace; 10/0-12/0 circle hooks. Best run alongside an active chum slick.
